Firefighters in southeastern Texas fought a significant blaze at the decommissioned PHR Peakers power plant in Bacliff early on Sunday, November 16, 2025. The fire, which erupted around 2:30 AM, produced large plumes of smoke that prompted local officials to advise residents to steer clear of the area due to potential health risks.
According to reports from the Associated Press, approximately 50 to 60 firefighters from multiple departments were deployed to tackle the inferno throughout the day. Texas City Emergency Management Director Joe Tumbles stated that by late afternoon, all five cooling towers of the plant, which had been inactive since the 1990s, had collapsed due to the fire. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
By late afternoon, firefighters had largely extinguished the flames, but smoldering was expected to continue throughout the night and possibly into the following days. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, with authorities from the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas City fire marshal looking into the incident. Despite the fire’s intensity, air quality monitoring indicated no harmful pollutant levels, alleviating immediate concerns for nearby residents.
